The present invention relates in general to gastrostomies providing long term enteral feeding and, more particularly, to a gastrostomy device packaging technique and installation method for initially placing a low profile gastrostomy device in a patient without first establishing a fistulas stoma tract as heretofore required by the prior art.
Low profile or skin level gastrostomy devices and the advantages attendant to their use are known in the art, as exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 4,863,438, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference. This patent, assigned to the assignee of the present invention, discloses a gastrostomy device having an intragastric end located within a body cavity such as the stomach of the patient, a tubular midportion extending from the intragastric end outwardly through the stomach and abdominal walls, and an external low profile end having a pair of winglike projections that engage the outer surface or skin of the patient's abdominal wall to maintain the gastrostomy device in proper position for intermittently receiving a conventional enteral feeding tube projecting into the stomach.
Such a prior art device is often referred to as a "replacement" gastrostomy device, since it is substituted for the usual gastrostomy tube that is initially placed in a patient for six to eight weeks until a fistulas stoma tract is established. Once the stoma tract is established, the gastrostomy tube is removed, and the "replacement" gastrostomy device is inserted into the stoma tract.
It is a goal of the present invention to eliminate the need for first establishing a fistulas stoma tract prior to installation of a low profile gastrostomy device of the type disclosed in the earlier-noted patent. By eliminating the use of a gastrostomy tube to establish the stoma tract, medical costs associated therewith can be eliminated. Also, initial placement of a low profile gastrostomy device allows the patient to immediately benefit from the advantages inherent in the use of a low profile gastrostomy device as opposed to a gastrostomy tube.